Services

SWAT say Health Minister’s decision puts everyone at risk

Chairman of the Save Withybush Action Team (SWAT) Chris Overton was at the Senedd for the Minister’s announcement that plans to close the special care baby unit at Withybush can go ahead.

He said that Mr Drakeford’s decision put the people of Pembrokeshire at risk.

“He has completely misinterpreted the scrutiny panel report about a lack of support for midwives from obstetricians, he’s trying to suggest here is a problem between obstetricians and moves but we were asked did we support a midwife led unit? We said no we don’t support a unit, there is not a problem with the midwives,” he said.

The initial process to launch a judicial review and Dr Overton said it is this and ‘people power’ that could stop plans coming to fruition.

As well as a march on Sunday, January 26 there is also a demonstration planned at the Senedd on March 6.

Sunday’s march starts at 10am from behind the County Archives building at Prendergast.

When asked what was the worst case scenario of the proposals Dr Overton referred to the case of Kate Sutton who doctors said would have died following childbirth had she had to go to Carmarthen.

“We had twins yesterday at 29 weeks that just walked through the door. They wouldn’t have made it to Glangwili.

“If there are no obstetricians, which there won’t be from August 1, women and children will die.

“If he wants to move these services to Glangwili he’s sentencing not just mothers and babies – because after obstetric and paediatrics the A&E won’t be able to function and the other services will follow – in three or five years time there will be nothing left and then everybody’s at risk, all 120,000 of us,” added Dr Overton.

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